The biography of the first female martyr of health defenders has been published.

According to cinemadrame, the book “Rohani Rad: A Documentary Narrative of the Life of Martyr Health Defender Dr. Shirin Rohani Rad” tells the story of Dr. Shirin Rohani Rad, the first female martyr of the health defenders. She worked tirelessly around the clock at the hospital to compensate for the shortage of doctors. The weakness and exhaustion of her immune system made fighting the COVID-19 virus even harder for her, until she ordered her own hospitalization due to the severity of her condition and was admitted to the same hospital where she worked for 10 days.

The virus severely affected her lungs, and due to her worsening condition, she was transferred to the Masih Daneshvari Hospital. There, the disease overtook her, and on March 19, 2020, she attained martyrdom. She was laid to rest next to the martyrs of the Revolution, the Sacred Defense, and the Defense of the Shrine at the Martyrs’ Cemetery of 10 Imam in Pakdasht.

While Dr. Rohani was infected with COVID-19 and hospitalized, she reassured her family by telling them, “Due to the shortage of doctors, I have to stay in the hospital around the clock.” Every morning, she called her family to let them know she was healthy, and every night, she reminded her parents to take their blood pressure medication.

Dr. Rohani Rad was the first martyr of the health defenders from Pakdasht in 2021. In addition to working on the front lines of the battle against COVID-19 in the emergency room of Shahid Pakdasht Hospital, she also collaborated with the Sharifabad Health Center and Shahid Ashrafi Isfahani Clinic in the area.

An excerpt from the book:

As she handed over her heavy suitcase to the airport’s baggage section, she heard the voice of her colleague, whom she had just met:

• “Doctor, this is really heavy, let me help you.”
• “Thank you, Dr. Akhtaran. Unfortunately, no matter what I did, it didn’t get any lighter.”

Dr. Saber Akhtaran immediately noticed Dr. Rohani’s unique modesty. She was exactly as described to him. He took the suitcase from her and handed it to the relevant staff:

• “Please don’t hesitate. If you ever need help, let me know. It’s an honor to accompany such a skilled doctor as you.”

Shirin lowered her head in respect and gratitude:

• “Please don’t say that, Dr. Akhtaran. You are younger and more up-to-date, and surely this trip will also enhance your professional experience.”

Whenever Shirin was with young doctor friends, she tried to boost their self-confidence and self-esteem so they could continue the challenging path of healing. Although she knew that the teams usually consisted of younger and less experienced individuals, she never felt any sense of superiority.

They received their boarding passes and headed toward the gate. A long silence settled between them. Dr. Akhtaran asked:

• “Dr. Rohani, you are very quiet!”

Shirin stared out at the vast airport space visible through the glass windows:

• “I don’t know what to say. I have a good feeling. A special and new feeling that I don’t want to replace with anything else in the world.”

Her colleague paused for a moment. Dr. Rohani’s character became even more prominent in his eyes. With each word, he understood more of her humanitarian spirit expressed through her modesty: “What a beautiful and eloquent expression.”

As the airplane took off, Shirin gazed out the window. As the altitude increased, the buildings grew smaller and smaller. From up there, no sign of human activity could be seen, neither their abundance nor scarcity, nor their claims. She took her eyes off the ground and focused on the endless sky, which generously embraced the universe.

The medical team of the Red Crescent was stationed at the Najaf Clinic Hotel. During this brief time, Dr. Rohani had managed to get to know the healthcare staff regarding their abilities and specialties. (Pages 134-135)

The book “Rohani Rad: A Documentary Narrative of the Life of Martyr Health Defender Dr. Shirin Rohani Rad” written by Masoumeh Hosseini, was published by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Tehran and the IRGC of Seyyed al-Shuhada (AS) by Dahem Publications. The book, which includes documents and photographs, consists of 258 pages and has a print run of 1,000 copies in a pocket-sized format with newsprint paper.